No to government run health care!

If I ever had a great reason to NOT support President Obama's health care reform plan, it is that I don't want our government dictating my, or anyone else's, medical lifestyle.

When are people going to get it that having too much government control doesn't work?

Haven't you been to the post office to see how poorly things are run there and how unhappy those overworked postal employees are? Have you ever met a happy postal service worker?

Where in the Declaration of Independence does it state that government is required to give health care to everyone or anyone?

The more I hear how people want a government-run health care system, the more I want to say those same words Han Solo said in “Star Wars” (1977) as the Millennium Falcon was being pulled in by the Empire's Death Star, which I might as well call President Obama and the Democratic Party.

"They're not going to get me without a fight," Solo says.

The Republicans and conservatives who are against the president's health plan might as well be like Jedi Master Ben Kenobi who says to Solo, "You can't win. But there are alternatives to fighting."

And fighting, angry Americans are equally upset, as seen by what's been going on at various town hall meetings across the country the past two months with shouts of "You work for us," "Tyranny! Tyranny! Tyranny!" and "Read the Bill!" against Democratic representatives.

I won't deny that the healthcare system needs some changes, whether you agree with the proposal.

One alternative that might keep health care costs from skyrocketing is for people to stop eating like pigs, change their diets and go out and exercise for a change. Sooner or later, the medical profession is going to have to call "obesity" a disease, given how fat people in this country are getting. This is a billion-dollar business for pharmaceutical companies whose job is to create medications to treat symptoms, most of which would go away if people would change their eating habits

Former Governor Mike Huckabee, when asked about the health care system at the 2007 GOP primary debate in Orlando, Florida, said the nation doesn't have a health care crisis.

"We have a health crisis," Huckabee said. "Eighty percent of the $2 trillion we spend on health care in this country is spent on chronic disease. If we don't change the health of this nation by focusing on prevention, we're never going to catch up with the costs no matter what plan we have."

Letting people decide for themselves who and how they want their health care is something Huckabee said he is for.

"The reality is it's a health crisis, and I would further say that one of the challenges we face is that a lot of the Democrats want to turn it over to the government, while the Republicans want to turn it over completely to the private insurance companies," Huckabee said. "I think the better idea is to turn it over to each individual consumer and let him or her make that choice. I trust me a lot more than I trust government, or a lot more than I trust the insurance companies."

After President Obama's Sept. 9 speech to Congress, U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany of Louisiana, a doctor, said in his response for the Republican Party that replacing the family's current health care system with government-run health care is not the answer.

"In fact, it will make health care much more expensive," Boustany said. "That's not just my personal diagnosis as a doctor or a Republican."

Boustany outlined four areas that both parties can agree on.

"One, all individuals should have access to coverage regardless of pre-existing conditions."

"Two, individuals, small businesses and other groups should be able to join together to get health insurance at lower prices, the same way large businesses and labor unions do."

"Three, we can provide assistance to those who still cannot access a doctor." "And four, insurers should be able to offer incentives for wellness care and prevention."

Boustany said the possibility should exist to allow families and businesses to buy insurance across state lines.

"I and many other Republicans believe that that will provide real choice and competition to lower the cost of health insurance" he said. "Unfortunately, the president disagrees."

I can only think of two words when it comes to the idea that this country could have a socialized health care system like Canada, France, or anywhere else where it's been clearly documented that government-run health care doesn't work.

They are the words uttered by Marlon Brando's Col. Kurtz near the end of the Vietnam War epic, “Apocalypse Now” (1979): "The horror, the horror."

Anyone who thinks we can rely on the government for America's health care system should take a look at the post office, something President Obama recently said, "is always having problems."

"People say, well, how can a private company compete against the government? If you think about it, UPS and FedEx are doing just fine. Right? No, they are. It's the Post Office that's always having problems."

As Huckabee said in his "Closing Remarks" on his Aug. 17 radio program, "Doesn't that seem like a good reason to NOT let government take over health care?"

©9/16/09